INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue XI November 2025  
Re-Examining Student Leadership: The Role of School Culture in  
Shaping Student Council Effectiveness in Public Boys’ Secondary  
Schools in Siaya County, Kenya  
Phoestine Simiyu  
Department of Education, Tangaza University  
Received: 07 November 2025; Accepted: 14 November 2025; Published: 28 November 2025  
ABSTRACT  
Student councils’ effectiveness remains a persistent governance concern in secondary schools globally, with  
notable variation across institutions. This study examined the influence of school culture on the effectiveness of  
student councils in public boys’ secondary schools in Siaya County, Kenya. Anchored in Ludwig von  
Bertalanffy’s Social Systems Theory, the study targeted 16 deputy principals, the Siaya County Director of  
Education, 320 student council leaders, and 9,684 ordinary students. A sample comprising 14 deputy principals,  
178 student council leaders, 370 ordinary students, and the County Director of Education was drawn using  
purposive, proportionate, stratified, and simple random sampling techniques. Employing a mixed methods  
approach within a convergent parallel design, the study collected data through questionnaires and interview  
schedules. Piloting was conducted in two schools. Instrument validity was established through expert judgment,  
while reliability testing using Cronbach’s Alpha produced an average coefficient of 0.75. Quantitative data were  
analyzed using SPSS Version 22.0 through descriptive and inferential statistics, with results presented in tables.  
Qualitative data were thematically analyzed and presented narratively with verbatim excerpts. Findings revealed  
that school culture significantly influenced student council effectiveness, particularly through relationships  
between student council members and teachers, student involvement in decision making, adherence to school  
rules and routines, and understanding of the school’s mission, vision, and core values. The study concluded that  
although school culture influences student council effectiveness, the influence is weak. It recommends  
strengthening of relations with SC members and teachers, student involvement in decision making, respect for  
school rules and routine and knowledge of the school mission vision and core values as measures of enhancing  
the effectiveness of student councils in schools.  
Keywords: Student Council; School Culture; Student Council Effectiveness  
INTRODUCTION  
School culture is widely acknowledged as a central determinant of a school’s internal functioning and  
effectiveness. Scholars generally agree that culture encompasses the shared beliefs, norms, values, traditions,  
and behavioral patterns that guide how members of a school community think, feel, and act (Owens, 2011;  
Schein, 2011; Darling & De-Paoli, 2020). This culture forms the structural foundation that shapes school climate  
and subsequently influences the functioning of all organizational units, including student councils (Day et al.,  
2020).  
A positive school culture enhances members’ sense of identity, reinforces organizational values, strengthens  
commitment, and guides behavior (Schein, 2014). Conversely, inhospitable cultures undermine student  
achievement and overall school effectiveness (Hoffman, 2012). A wholesome culture also provides clarity on  
institutional direction and shared beliefs (Abdullah, 2019). Evidence from Chicago Elementary Schools  
highlighted the role of cultural elementsparticularly relational trust and the quality of staffstudent  
interactionsin shaping school effectiveness (Lee & Louis, 2019).  
Schein’s (2014) model identifies three cultural levels: artifacts (symbols, routines, ceremonies), values (beliefs  
guiding behavior), and basic assumptions (deep-seated norms shaping actions). These interact to create an  
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ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue XI November 2025  
environment that supports or hinders school improvement. Effective schools often exhibit safe, orderly  
environments, shared norms, strong values, and a collective orientation toward common goals (Hallinger & Heck,  
2010; Darling & De-Paoli, 2020; Ndaiti, 2007).  
Leadership literature emphasizes that strong, positive cultures cultivate collaboration, communication,  
commitment, and productivity (Darling & De-Paoli, 2020). In secondary schools, culture is reflected not only in  
formal structures such as codes of conduct, timetables, and mission statements, but also in informal practices,  
traditions, and expectations that guide daily routines (Day et al., 2020; Weissberg et al., 2002; Njoroge, 2008).  
Rituals and traditionsranging from ceremonies to group-oriented activitiesstrengthen community bonds and  
reinforce shared values (Hoffman, 2012; Darling & De-Paoli, 2020). However, negative behaviors such as  
bullying, drug abuse, and violence may also become embedded in school culture when left unchecked  
(Jepkemboi et al., 2019).  
Norms play a critical role in shaping behavior, fostering discipline, and promoting school effectiveness (Day et  
al., 2020; Ndaiti, 2007). Relational trust, built gradually through consistent interactions, remains essential for  
sustaining a healthy culture (Lee & Louis, 2019). At the same time, disagreements among teachers regarding  
core responsibilities can impede collaboration and improvement (Hallinger & Heck, 2010).  
Student leadership is similarly shaped by cultural dynamics. Collaborative cultures that involve students in  
decision-making enhance ownership, belonging, and the effectiveness of student councils (Njogu, 2012).  
Administrators play a pivotal role in cultivating such cultures and aligning leadership practices with  
organizational values (Lindahl, 2011). Since organizational culture influences all dimensions of schooling (Sahin,  
2011), understanding its relationship with student leadership is essential for improving school governance and  
student development.  
Against this backdrop, the present study examined how specific aspects of school culture ( interactions, routines,  
traditions, ceremonies, and underlying values) shape the effectiveness of student councils in public boys’  
boarding secondary schools in Siaya County.  
Research Hypothesis  
H₀₁: School culture has no statistically significant influence on student councils’ effectiveness.  
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY  
This study adopted a mixed-methods approach using the convergent parallel design. As Creswell (2014) explains,  
this design involves collecting quantitative and qualitative data simultaneously and then merging them to provide  
a comprehensive understanding of the research problem. It was selected because one type of data alone would  
not adequately address the study objectives, and integrating both forms of data enhances clarity and depth  
(Creswell, 2012). The design was therefore suitable for examining how institutional determinants influence  
student council effectiveness.  
Quantitative data were collected from ordinary students and student council leaders using questionnaires based  
on a 5-point Likert scale to assess capacity development in the schools. Qualitative data were obtained through  
in-depth interviews with 14 Deputy Principals who oversee student council affairs and the County Director of  
Education. The interviews provided detailed insights into student leaders’ capacity development and suggestions  
for improving student council effectiveness in public boys’ boarding secondary schools in Siaya County.  
The two datasets were integrated during interpretation to identify areas where findings converged or differed.  
The qualitative data helped explain and support the quantitative results, offering a clearer understanding of how  
institutional determinants affected student councils (Creswell, 2014). This design also enabled validation of  
information from multiple sources, including the reviewed literature (Creswell, 2012). Quantitative data were  
analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically and  
presented narratively with verbatim quotations.  
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DATA ANALYSIS, FINDINGS, AND DISCUSSION  
This study sought to determine the influence of school culture on student councils’ effectiveness among public  
boys’ boarding secondary schools in Siaya County, Kenya. The concept of school culture has been explained  
differently by different people in different places at different times. Much of the literature on school culture has  
presented school culture as that which encompasses all the attitudes, expected behaviors and values that impact  
how the school operates.  
In this study, school culture was conceptualized as encompassing aspects such as participation of students in  
decision making, nature of relationships between teachers and students, relationship between ordinary students  
and SC members, adherence to school rules and all the other routine practices, general discipline of students in  
the school, and knowledge about the school’s vision, mission and core values  
Ordinary students and SC members were requested to respond to items related to aspects of culture in their  
school on a 5 point Likert scale as follows: 1-Strongly Disagree (SD); 2-Disagree (D); 3-Neutral (N); 4-Agree  
(A) and 5-Strongly Agree (SA). The means of the responses to different categories of questionnaire items on  
school culture were interpreted based on the 5 point Likert scale range for each of the statements. A summary  
of the responses of the ordinary students on different items regarding school culture are presented in Table 1.  
Table 1: Summary of Students’ Responses on School Culture (n=525)  
Statement  
SD  
D
N
A
SA  
n
Mean  
per item per item  
Std. Dev.  
n
%
N
%
n
%
n
%
%
There is  
relationship  
students and teachers in  
the school  
a
good 61  
between  
11.6 175 33.3 11 2.1 207 39.4 71 13.5 3.10  
1.31  
1.42  
1.36  
1.37  
There are good relations 198 37.7 160 30.5  
between the SC leaders  
3
0.6 112 21.3 52 9.9  
2.35  
and  
the  
ordinary  
students  
Students adhere to the 105 20.0 198 37.7 20 3.8 140 26.7 62 11.8 2.73  
clearly spelt out rules  
and regulations that  
guide student behavior  
Students always follow 136 25.9 176 33.5 14 2.7 151 28.8 48 9.1  
2.62  
the outlined school  
routine  
Students in the school 168 32.0 220 `41. 17 3.2 93  
are disciplined  
17.7 27 5.1  
2.22  
2.43  
2.30  
1.22  
1.24  
1.31  
9
I
know our vision, 125 23.8 234 44.6 14 2.7 120 22.9 32 6.1  
mission and core values  
Students in the school 183 34.9 179 34.1 14 2.7 119 22.7 30 5.7  
feel welcomed, valued  
and have a high sense of  
belonging to the school  
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Our school has forums 60  
where students meet to  
discuss issues affecting  
them  
11.4 176 33.5  
5
1.0 191 36.4 93 17.7 3.15  
1.36  
Students participate in 188 35.8 196 37.3  
making decisions  
2
2
0.4 109 20.8 30 5.7  
0.4 123 23.4 24 4.6  
2.23  
2.28  
1.29  
1.27  
Our school is a drug free 173 33.0 203 38.7  
zone  
Mean percentage per  
rating  
26.6  
36.5  
2.0  
26.0  
8.9  
Overall mean and  
Standard deviation  
2.54  
0.41  
From the results in Table 4.20, majority of the students (36.5% and 26.6%) disagreed with the statements on  
aspects of school culture in relation to the working of the SCs in their schools, 2.0% were neutral, and 34.9%  
(26.0% and 8.9%) agreed with the statements. The overall mean was 2.54 implying that the students had a low  
agreement with the statements on aspects of school culture. The responses had an overall standard deviation of  
0.41 indicating a relatively low variation from the mean. This indicates that the respondents had relatively  
consistent responses about the aspects of school culture in relation to the effectiveness of the SCs in their schools.  
The qualitative findings of the interviews with deputy principals and the CDE are in tandem with the descriptive  
findings on school culture. The deputy principals of the sampled schools and the CDE were also asked to give  
their opinions regarding different aspects of school culture. Just like the student respondents, interviews with the  
deputy principals and the CDE revealed existence of a good relationship between students and teachers such as  
the one in the following excerpts:  
I: How would you describe the relationship between the teachers and students in the school?  
R1: Not really bad - schools have to perform, hence sometimes students feel they are pushed so much by teachers  
but it’s good generally; it’s cordial with some isolated cases of teachers who are harsh to students and unpopular  
because of being strict and hard on them but not really extreme (Deputy Principal, Siaya County).  
R2: Nowadays, teachers are very positive about students; they support the learners compared even to the real  
parents; the teachers are surrogate parents to the learners and they have accepted it as a their responsibility; some  
of the parents are hostile to their own children, they are too busy at work and would only send money to their  
children at school; the teachers follow up the students up to college level and would even support in terms of  
paying fees for the needy ones (CDE, Siaya County)  
It is therefore evident from these sentiments that despite the relationship between teachers and students being  
cordial, there are instances where teachers act harshly towards students to the extent that this interferes with the  
supposed good relationship between the two groups; no wonder a significant number, 236 (45%) of students  
reported that the relationship between teachers and students was not good. This therefore made the students hate  
their school because they felt not valued by the school and as indicated earlier, this was one of the reasons why  
the students did not hesitate to burn and destroy school property. This may have been worsened by the fact that  
students were not involved in the decision-making process as earlier noted from the responses given by the  
deputy principals and the CDE.  
These findings are congruent with findings by Shier (2016) that when student councils are not involved in school  
governance it is more likely that students will engage themselves in indiscipline activities but where they are  
involved, they engage actively in school ownership, promote problem-solving skills and eventually improve  
school discipline. Furthermore, Matthews and Dollinger (2023) also argue that institutions where students were  
not part of the decision-making process had students resort to violence as a way of venting their frustrations.  
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On the issue of the relationship between the students and the SC members, the deputy principals agreed that  
indeed there was a lot of hatred towards the SC members by the students; the same viewpoint observed from the  
descriptive findings from the student respondents as seen in the following excerpt:  
I: How would you describe the relationship between the ordinary students and the SC members in your school?  
R1: Not good; the students are against the members of the SC…. they are seen as spies of the teachers and the  
administration especially the ones that are directly appointed by the teachers; ours is a blended system…. we  
have had a situation where one of the leaders was locked up in the toilets at night until morning because the  
students dislike him. Another one had at one time been roughed up by students when there was a blackout in the  
school because he was too strict and punished the students most of the time…. I would generally say they don’t  
like SC leaders except for the ones who are popular among the students (Deputy Principal, Siaya County).  
Abwere (2009) also underscores the importance of the relationship and communication between the student body  
and the student council as a way of enhancing students’ experience. The hatred towards the SC members is  
indicative of the difficulty with which the SC members have to discharge their roles.  
The researcher also observed that majority of the deputy principals accepted that the students were aware of the  
school rules and regulations and the school routine which they were required to adhere to all the time. According  
to the deputy principals, the vision, mission and core values were strategically located mostly at the entrance to  
the school administration block for students to see and internalize. These findings concur with the findings of  
Tjivikua (2006) who argues that the vision and mission of the school are among the things one is able to see  
once he/she enters a school and they indicate the direction and stand of the school regarding several aspects; lack  
of knowledge about the two by the students is an indicator that they did not fully understand the culture of their  
school.  
A shared vision as Raolina et al. (2021) state reflects a unity of purpose in the school. Furthermore, the teachers  
kept on emphasizing the core values especially but as indicated by the students, very few were aware of this  
information about their school. Additionally, there were still instances where students behaved contrary to the  
rules and regulations and did not follow the established routine. One of the deputy principals said:  
They are aware…. they are given acceptance letters which they read and sign…they have copies of rules and  
regulations which they are given during admission but do not adhere to all of them…. they are also pinned in  
the classes and sometimes they are reminded about them (rules)…one that is violated mostly is read and  
contraventions re-emphasized. Copies of the school routine outlining daily activities from morning to evening  
are also availed to the students and pinned in each of the classes. The teacher on duty for every week would still  
remind the students of what is expected of them on each day at a specific time (Deputy Principal, Siaya County).  
Despite the existence of school rules and regulations and their enforcement by the teachers and the SC members,  
students were reportedly not always acting in accordance with the school rules and regulations thus there still  
existed cases of indiscipline among students in schools; the students were not disciplined. The student councils  
were introduced as one of the ways to eliminate or rather reduce these cases of violence and drug abuse in  
schools; with the reality that schools including those in Siaya County still experience is a pointer to the  
weaknesses in the SCs operating in these schools. Indiscipline cases in a school are an indicator of weaker school  
leadership according to Kagendo (2018); student leaders are part of the school leadership. While responding to  
the question of whether cases of student indiscipline existed in the school, one of the deputy principals had this  
to say:  
Yes, there is rampant theft among students and drug abuse cases keep on growing by the day …. students are a  
target market …it’s a real issue as many students are doing drugs…there is also sneaking out of school …go for  
drugs, food. Merchandizing in school is another crime that is cropping up (which has become rampant in schools-  
students have become hustlers in schools, they carry unauthorized materials -phones, clothes, to sell to their  
friends in school (School Deputy Principal, Siaya County).  
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Other cases mentioned by the deputy principals included defiance/stubbornness, violence, fighting among  
students, sneaking out of school especially those who came from around the school, and noise making. Burning  
down of schools by the students is also a sign of indiscipline as reported by the County Director of Education.  
Descriptive findings from the student respondents also indicated existence of cases of violence, bullying, and  
drug abuse in the school, occurrences that point to existence of indiscipline cases among students in schools and  
some inadequacy on the part of the student leaders and the administration.  
Eight (57.1%) of the deputy principals and the CDE in separate interviews agreed that there were student forums  
in schools organized by the student leaders or sometimes by the principals to listen to the issues affecting the  
students. However, in the remaining schools 6 (42.9%), such forums did not exist. The CDE in response said:  
…...they (student leaders) normally have sessions during the school barazas where they preach reconciliation  
and peace to their fellow students…this is also a time for them to listen to the demands of the students; most of  
which are not realistic and therefore cannot be accepted by the school administration. However, this may not be  
the case in all the schools (CDE, Siaya County).  
The researcher concludes that the views expressed by the deputy principals and the CDE are in tandem with the  
descriptive findings from the ordinary students and student leaders indicating efforts by the school administration  
towards creating a strong positive culture in the schools especially with the emphasis on strong positive relations  
between teachers and students and giving students opportunities to discuss issues affecting them through the  
student forums (student barazas). These findings concur with the findings by Lee and Louis (2019) that a strong  
culture can only be built in a school where students and staff understand the need of working together and always  
strive towards achieving relational trust in their daily interactions. Similarly, Ndaiti (2007) opines that the school  
management should always ensure that there is a strong culture in the school to facilitate achievement of its  
goals and objectives. The next stage of data analysis involves testing of the null hypothesis stated.  
Research Hypothesis  
HO1: School culture has no statistically significant influence on the effectiveness of student councils among  
public boys’ boarding secondary schools in Siaya County, Kenya.  
Multiple regression analysis was used to test the null hypothesis stated. Aspects of school culture which was the  
predictor variable were uploaded in the model at the same time to determine the coefficient of relationship (R)  
and coefficient of determination (R-Square). As indicated earlier, effectiveness of SCs was deduced from the  
composite score (see Table 2). A model summary was generated to determine the fitness of the model in  
explaining the relationship between school culture and SCs’ effectiveness as shown in Table 2.  
Table 2: Model Summary for School Culture and Effectiveness of Student Councils  
Model  
1
R
R Square  
.134  
Adjusted R Square Std. Error of the Estimate  
. 132 .52134  
.366a  
a. Predictors: (Constant), School Culture  
The regression model used for the analysis was Y= b0 + b2X2+e. As shown in the model summary, the value of  
R was 0.366 and R square 0.134. The value of R therefore led to the conclusion that there was a weak positive  
relationship between school culture and effectiveness of SCs as per Creswell (2014), whereas the R square value  
showed that 13.4% of the variance in effectiveness of SCs could be explained by school culture within the model.  
This also implies that 87.6% of variance in effectiveness of student councils could be explained by other factors.  
Furthermore, and as a way of determining the significance of the correlation between school culture and SC  
effectiveness, an analysis of the coefficients was carried out and results summarized in Table 3.  
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Table 3: Regression Coefficients for School Culture and Effectiveness of SCs  
Model  
Unstandardized Coefficients  
Standardized  
Coefficients  
t
Sig.  
B
Std. Error  
Beta  
1
(Constant)  
1.546  
.443  
.121  
.049  
12.732  
8.986  
.000  
.000  
School  
Culture  
.366  
Dependent Variable: Effectiveness  
It is indicated from the results that at zero consideration of aspects of school culture, the effectiveness of the SCs  
would be at 1.546 units. Similarly, with an improvement in aspects of school culture by one unit there will be  
an improvement in SCs’ effectiveness by 0.443 units. Therefore, these coefficients generated the model as Y=  
1.546+ 0.443X2, where,  
Y=Effectiveness of SCs  
X2=School culture  
Based on the second objective of this study, the second null hypothesis (H01) sought to establish whether school  
culture had a statistically significant influence on effectiveness of student councils in public boys boarding  
secondary schools in Siaya County stated as:  
HO1: School culture has no statistically significant influence on student councils’ effectiveness among public  
boys’ boarding secondary schools in Siaya County, Kenya.  
From the test, the p-value was 0.000 (p=0.000<0.05), revealing a high level of significance in the relationship  
between school culture and effectiveness of SCs. This led to the rejection of the null hypothesis and hence the  
conclusion that school culture had a statistically significant influence on effectiveness of student councils in  
secondary schools. Studies conducted by Day et al. (2020) and Njogu (2012) also recognized correlation  
between school culture and performance of student leaders.  
These findings also concur with the findings of Darling and De-Paoli (2020) who opine that the culture of an  
organization is a major determinant of the organization’s performance and therefore a strong and positive culture  
promotes productivity and collaboration among stakeholders in the school. As such, in a school with a positive  
and strong culture, student leaders will get the support of the other key stakeholders leading to effective  
performance of their roles. These findings also agree with the descriptive findings from the students and the key  
informants interviewed i.e. the deputy principals and the CDE.  
DISCUSSION  
The findings revealed that although school culture had a statistically significant influence on the effectiveness  
of student councils, the strength of this relationship was weak, with the model explaining only 13.4% of the  
variance. This weak association can be understood by examining the internal inconsistencies reported within the  
school environments. Students’ perceptions of school culture were divided almost evenly between agreement  
and disagreement, reflecting a fragmented cultural experience across schools. Such inconsistency reduces the  
coherence of school culture as a predictor, making it less likely to produce a strong statistical relationship with  
student leadership effectiveness.  
The qualitative findings further illustrate this fragmentation. While many deputy principals and the County  
Director of Education described generally cordial relationships between teachers and students, they  
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simultaneously acknowledged pockets of harshness and tension. These contradictory relational experiences  
weaken the ability of school culture to uniformly support student leadership. In some contexts, aspects of the  
culture may enhance the functioning of student councils, while in others, negative experiences undermine it.  
Another key factor is the strained relationship between students and student council members. Despite efforts  
by school administrations to build positive cultures, the strong resentment toward council members (often  
viewed as extensions of the administration) undermines the mediating role that school culture might otherwise  
play. Even in schools with apparent cultural strengths, this mistrust limits the effectiveness of student councils,  
thereby weakening the measured relationship.  
Additionally, although school rules, routines, and values were widely disseminated and displayed, adherence  
was inconsistent. Students often ignored or contravened these expectations, highlighting a gap between the  
official culture and the lived culture within schools. This disconnect further constrains how much school culture  
can shape student leadership, as cultural norms lose practical influence when they are not consistently enacted.  
Persistent indiscipline challenges also overshadow any cultural strengths that might support student leadership.  
Widespread issues such as drug abuse, theft, violence, and general defiance indicate that student leaders operate  
in environments where fundamental behavioral issues persist. Such conditions limit the extent to which culture  
(however positive in principle) can translate into improved council effectiveness.  
Overall, the regression findings suggest that while school culture does matter, most of the variation in student  
council effectiveness (approximately 87.6%) stems from other factors not captured in this model. Elements such  
as leadership training, administrative support, peer dynamics, availability of resources, or school contextual  
characteristics likely exert much stronger influence. Therefore, the weak statistical relationship is consistent with  
the complex and uneven cultural realities observed in the schools studied.  
CONCLUSION  
The foregoing findings enabled the researcher to draw conclusions relevant to the study objective and hypothesis.  
Although school culture was found to have a statistically significant influence on the effectiveness of student  
councils in public boys’ boarding secondary schools in Siaya County, the weak strength of this relationship  
reflected deeper systemic issues within the school environment.  
The evidence showed that school culture remained fragile, marked by inconsistent adherence to rules, limited  
student involvement in decision-making, and persistent indiscipline; all of which constrained the ability of  
student leaders to perform their duties effectively.The study therefore concluded that the culture of the school  
significantly influenced effectiveness of SCs in public boys boarding secondary schools in Siaya County.  
RECOMMENDATIONS  
These findings suggest that strengthening school culture is not only a school-level responsibility but also a  
broader policy and governance concern within Kenya’s education sector.  
The conclusions point to the need for clearer Ministry of Education guidelines on student participation, stronger  
enforcement of the Basic Education Regulations on discipline and student leadership, and more deliberate  
capacity-building for teachers and school leaders on participatory governance In the same breath, schools should  
implement structured culture-building programmes that promote uniform application of values, expectations,  
and teacherstudent interactions. Strengthening coherence in school culture will provide a more supportive and  
predictable environment for effective student leadership.  
In addition, adopting participatory leadership practices such as transparent consultations, student-led forums,  
and open communication channels can help reduce mistrust between students and student council members.  
These approaches would reposition council members as legitimate representatives of their peers rather than  
extensions of the administration.  
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To address persistent indiscipline, schools should also involve student councils in structured behaviour-  
management initiatives such as peer mentorship, restorative dialogue, and anti-indiscipline campaigns. This level  
of involvement will not only strengthen discipline but also enhance the effectiveness and credibility of student  
leaders.  
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